Honestly, if you're looking for ncaa football scores today's games, you're probably staring at a pretty quiet scoreboard right now. It's January 15, 2026. The dust has mostly settled on the bowl season. We are currently stuck in that weird, slightly agonizing limb between the high-octane semifinals and the actual National Championship game.
The stadium lights are off today. There are no FBS games scheduled for this Thursday afternoon. We are exactly four days away from the biggest game of the year.
If you’ve been following this season, you know it’s been absolutely wild. This wasn't your typical "blue bloods only" party. The 12-team playoff format has officially turned the sport on its head. Seeing the final bracket shake out the way it did—with Indiana and Miami being the last two standing—is something most experts would have called a fever dream back in August.
But here we are.
Where the Scores Stand Right Now
Since there aren't any live games today, the "scores" everyone is talking about are the brutal semifinals that just wrapped up. Last week was basically a car crash for the West Coast.
The Peach Bowl Disaster
On Friday night, January 9, Indiana basically deleted Oregon from the map. Final score: 56-22. It wasn't even as close as the score looks. Curt Cignetti has turned the Hoosiers into a terrifying machine. They put up over 500 yards of offense and made a very good Ducks defense look like they were playing in slow motion. If you had Indiana making the title game at the start of the season, you’re either a genius or a liar.
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The Fiesta Bowl Thriller
The night before that, we got a much better game. Miami outlasted Ole Miss in Glendale with a 31-27 victory. This one went down to the final drive. Jaxson Dart had the Rebels moving, but the Hurricanes' defensive line finally got home when it mattered. It’s the first time the "U" has been this relevant since the early 2000s. It feels like the sport is healing, or at least getting a lot more interesting.
Why Today Matters for the National Championship
Just because there isn't a kickoff today doesn't mean the teams are sitting around eating wings. We are in the "dark period" of preparation. Both Indiana and Miami are currently touching down in South Florida or finalizing their heavy install days before heading to Hard Rock Stadium.
The National Championship is set for Monday, January 19, 2026.
Here is the quick breakdown of the matchup that everyone is betting on right now:
- Matchup: #1 Indiana vs. #10 Miami
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
- Time: 7:30 PM ET
- Network: ESPN
Indiana is currently an 8.5-point favorite. That feels high for a National Final, but after they hung 56 on Oregon, it's hard to argue with the oddsmakers. Miami essentially has a home-game advantage playing at Hard Rock, though. You've gotta wonder how much that humidity and the local crowd will mess with a team from Bloomington.
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The 12-Team Playoff Results Leading Up to Today
If you missed the earlier rounds, the path to today's quiet schedule was paved with some massive upsets. The quarterfinal round on New Year's Day was particularly offensive to the old guard of college football.
Georgia is gone. Ohio State is gone. Alabama is gone.
Look at these quarterfinal scores from January 1:
- Rose Bowl: Indiana 38, Alabama 3. (Yes, you read that right. Three points for Bama.)
- Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34.
- Orange Bowl: Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0.
- Cotton Bowl (Dec 31): Miami 24, Ohio State 14.
The fact that we don't have a single SEC or Big Ten powerhouse—outside of the "new" Big Ten Indiana—in the final is a massive shift. People used to complain that the playoffs were boring because it was always the same four teams. Well, be careful what you wish for, because the 12-team era has brought total chaos.
What Most People Get Wrong About Today's Schedule
A lot of fans forget that the lower divisions often play on different cycles, but even the FCS, Division II, and Division III championships have already crowned their winners by mid-January. We are truly in the eye of the storm.
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Some folks might be looking for "today's games" expecting the traditional Saturday slate, but the move to a Monday night championship has shifted the entire rhythm of the postseason. Today is for film study and injury reports. Speaking of injuries, keep an eye on Miami’s secondary. They took some hits in the Ole Miss game, and if they aren't 100% by Monday, Indiana’s passing game is going to carve them up.
Actionable Insights for the Long Weekend
Since you can't watch a game today, here is how you should prep for the big one on Monday.
First, check the weather. It's Miami in January, so it’ll be mid-70s, but keep an eye on the wind speeds at Hard Rock Stadium. It can get swirlier than people realize, which affects the deep ball.
Second, watch the line movement. If that 8.5-point spread for Indiana starts dropping toward 7, it means the "smart money" is banking on Miami's home-field vibe.
Third, if you're looking for some actual football to watch tonight, you're out of luck on the NCAA front, but the NFL divisional round prep is in full swing.
The wait for the Indiana-Miami showdown is going to feel long. Use this time to look at the advanced stats—specifically Indiana's success rate on third down versus Miami's red-zone defense. That is where Monday night will be won or lost.
Make sure your Monday evening is clear. This isn't just a game; it's the culmination of the most transformative season in the history of college athletics. The 12-team experiment worked, and we're about to see the wild finish.